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Protective helmet with adjustable supportRelated Patent Categories: Apparel, Guard Or Protector, For Wearer's Head, Including Adjustment For Wearer's Head Size, For Circumference Of CrownProtective helmet with adjustable support description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070245468, Protective helmet with adjustable support. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to protective headwear. More particularly, the invention relates to a protective helmet including an internal support that is adjustable while a user is wearing the helmet. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Protective helmets and headwear are known to protect a wearer's head from accidental trauma. For example, construction workers are often required to wear hard hats or other safety headwear due to the increased risk of falling objects in and around construction sites. Similarly, athletes are required to wear protective helmets, such as football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, and cycling helmets, to protect their heads in case of high impact collisions. These helmets are typically made of a hard and durable material designed to deflect and disperse the effects of external forces imparted thereto. [0003] Various components of protective helmets and headwear are generally known in the industry and have been described in previous patent references. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,524 discloses a helmet with a faceguard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,751 discloses a helmet with a polycarbonate shell and foam liner, and U.S. Publication No. US 2002/0120978 discloses a helmet with a slow recovery, viscoelastic, polymeric foam liner. [0004] In addition to the important protective characteristics of such helmets, the helmets also need to be comfortable when worn because the helmet is typically worn for extended periods of time. To accommodate people with different head sizes, protective helmets are typically manufactured in various standard sizes, such as, small, medium, large, and extra large. To further enhance the comfort, fit, and shock absorption of a helmet, some helmets also include an internal support within the interior of the helmet. The internal support is often adjustable to provide a custom fit on the wearer's head. [0005] Adjustments to the internal support, however, can only be made from within the interior of the protective helmet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,388 discloses an interior suspension cap or internal support mounted to and contained within a shell of a helmet. Thus, achieving a comfortable fit typically requires that the person initially try on the helmet, then remove the helmet to either increase or decrease the size of the internal support accordingly, and then put the helmet back on to see if the adjustment was proper. This usually involves several iterations until an acceptable comfort fit is achieved, and thus, can become a tedious and annoying process. [0006] Thus, there remains a need for a protective helmet that can be easily adjusted to provide a comfort fit while the person is wearing the helmet. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] A preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a protective helmet that includes a shell defining a shell exterior and a shell interior configured to protectively receive a wearer's head. The helmet also includes an internal support disposed in the shell interior in supportive association with the shell for supporting the shell on the wearer's head. Additionally, the helmet includes an adjustment member associated with the internal support for adjusting the size of the internal support to fit to the wearer's head. The adjustment member and the shell are configured and dimensioned such that the adjustment member is operable to adjust the internal support from outside the shell while the helmet is mounted on the wearer's head. [0008] Preferably, the shell further defines at least one adjustment aperture, and the adjustment member extends from the internal support through the adjustment aperture to the exterior of the shell for manipulation and operation from outside the shell. Additionally, a padding member is preferably mounted in the interior of the shell adjacent the adjustment aperture, and is configured for protecting the wearer's head against shock and maintaining the wearer's head spaced from the shell adjacent the aperture. [0009] In one embodiment, a padding member is disposed between the internal support and the shell. This padding member defines a padding opening therethrough, and the adjustment member preferably extends through the padding opening and the adjustment aperture to allow manipulation of the adjustment member outside the shell. Preferably, the padding member maintains a spacing between the wearer's head in the internal support and the shell. In another embodiment, the internal support extends around or behind a padding member, preferably on opposite sides thereof. [0010] The adjustment member is configured for securing outside the shell to another portion of the helmet for securing the internal support in a selected adjustment position. Preferably, the internal support tends to bias the wearer's head towards the padding member when the adjustment member is secured outside the shell. In a preferred embodiment, the adjustment member comprises first and second adjustment portions that extend through at least one aperture in the shell for securing outside the shell. Further, the shell can include first and second apertures through which the first and second adjustment portions extend, respectively. [0011] The adjustment portions can be adjustably fastenable to the exterior shell, or to each other outside the shell, for securing the internal support in the selected adjustment position, and they also preferably include fasteners configured to accomplish this fastening. [0012] The protective helmet can also include a cover member that is removably mountable to the exterior of the shell. The cover member is preferably positioned for at least covering a portion of, and preferably the entire, adjustment apertures and the adjustable member that extends therethrough. [0013] The internal support preferably includes a suspension support associated with the shell to suspend the shell from the wearer's head. In a preferred embodiment, the internal support has a webbing that includes a circumferential portion configured for extending generally circumferentially and around the wearer's head, such as in a generally horizontal direction. The circumference of the circumferential portion is preferably adjustable by the adjustment member. Additionally, the webbing preferably further includes overhead portions extending over the top of the wearer's head from one side of circumferential portion to another. The circumferential portion of the webbing is preferably attached to at least one portion of the interior shell, and the adjustable member includes an end portion of the webbing. Preferably, the adjustment member includes an end portion of the webbing. Also, the circumferential portion of the webbing is anchored to the shell at a location remote from the adjustment member. [0014] In a football helmet embodiment, for example, a chin strap and face guard can be provided coupled to the shell. The face guard is preferably configured and dimensioned for covering at least a portion of the wearer's face while the wearer is wearing the helmet. [0015] The present invention thus facilitates adjustment to fit the protective helmet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded front view of one embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention; [0017] FIG. 2 is a side view of the helmet; [0018] FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof; [0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional, bottom view of another embodiment of the protective helmet; [0020] FIG. 5 is a cut-away bottom view of a rear portion of another embodiment of the protective helmet; Continue reading about Protective helmet with adjustable support... Full patent description for Protective helmet with adjustable support Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Protective helmet with adjustable support patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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